Interior
by 815
Summary: Words can be hard to understand, yet you will always understand them before it's too late. — Ino


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, etc.

**Summary:** Words can be hard to understand, yet you will always understand them before it's too late. ( Ino )

* * *

_The words that I say are hard, but easy._  
_And even though you do not hear them, time passes._

* * *

Ino always hides behind her words.

Her words are always constantly shifting. Each one had three meanings. One was the meanings of the words. The second was the way the words were said. The third was the words that lay behind those. The ones that always hung out backstage, but were still on the spotlight even if it wasn't shining down on them.

A hidden meaning.

She used these words like a person handled a flashlight, their hands, and the shadows on the ceiling. Her mouth was the flashlight, her hands the words, and the shadows were the meanings behind it.

A bird shadow can be made simply. Cross your hands together over the flashlight and have their thumbs touch one another. And yet, you don't see the bird until you look on the ceiling itself.

* * *

"We're rivals now."

Those words had struck a blow on her. It had left her hurt, but her pride as a Yamanaka did not make her show it. Three days after, she had started a beginning – a beginning of a friendship that was taken to the next step.

"Bill-board brow! You think going against me makes you stronger? Don't joke!"

When she said these words, she did not regret it.

These first words of their beginning as rivals sent a message to her. But Sakura did not interpret this message clearly and she called her new rival a pig. An insulting word to pay back what Ino had said to her. Sakura was hesitant at first when she had said it, but she spat it out later again in a harsher tone.

Ino was disappointed about this, but she was confident.

She was confident that Sakura would look up to the ceiling and see the shadows one day.

* * *

"_Fat-ass! Hurry up and do something!"_

These words she didn't regret when she said them to Chouji. Her outward look wasn't meant to give others pity. But you could see it behind her words. You could see her hands twist themselves into words and you could see the shadows reflect it: **'**C'mon! I'm almost out of chakra! I need your help!**'**

Sometimes she said those words because she was always amused on how the boy would react when someone insulted his weight.

But if she over did it, she knew that his eyes would show the flames of hell itself.

"_Lazy-bum! You're good for nothing, you know that?!"_

She always chuckles inwardly when she says those words. The girl always used those words when she was about to ask for a favor from him. His troublesome talk would usually be enough to convince her that he wouldn't tell a secret to anyone. Why? Simple: it was too troublesome for him.

The hands rearrange themselves into a new position and illuminate the ceiling: **'**You're good for nothing, but here I am asking you and telling you: you're good for something most of the time.**'**

"_Ino-Shika-Chou formation! You guys better not wuss out and back out of this fight, got it?!?!"_

The three stood side by side together and the hands form themselves into one that intertwined fingers together – a bond. And even though these words were heard over and over again, its message was now imprinted in their minds.

**'**We're partners, got it?! I trust you enough not to back out and leave me behind.**'**

And her two teammates understood. They understood her words that held emotions in its letters. Maybe it was Shikamaru who had figured it out first with his intellect, and shared it with Chouji. Maybe it was Chouji who realized it first and asked Shikamaru if he was right.

Either way, they understood.

Ino was glad.

* * *

Ino always hides behind her words.

Years past and still Sakura and Ino are still rivals. The girl hopes that her friend will understand one day. She hopes that the girl would look up because the shadows are still there. They are flickering like a candle about to be snuffed out, yet they stay alive by a small breath of air. And Ino's friendship is this breath of air.

And Sakura does see.

She does after they test their bonds as they fight one another. A kunai thrown, a punch taken. As they fight, they're aware of stepping over the line and going into a new part of friendship:

An unbreakable bond of trust.

And in the aftermath of this battle, Yamanaka Ino doesn't hide behind her words.

"_You've bloomed into a beautiful flower."_

And she sees the understanding reflecting in Sakura's eyes. Ino smiles as she knows that her friend has finally seen past the flashlight and the hands that pull the string. She has seen past the cast of characters and the lights on stage, and has taken a look into the things backstage.

She has seen the shadows that are barely visible on the ceiling.

* * *

"_Bill-board brow! You think going against me makes you stronger? Don't joke!"_

Hands dance across the light that cascades from the flashlight. And in the ceiling above, they rearrange themselves into a new sentence that could be broken down into forever, but still remain the same thing:

**'**You'll be hearing that name for a long time. But remember that it shows that I know you're strong. Stand up – you're my friend even though you said we weren't. We are equals. This doesn't change anything between us.**'**

* * *

Ino hands the headband to Sakura.

Sakura takes the headband from Ino.

Both of them see an exchange of a long lost ribbon held between both of their hands. One that was still whole even though one had cut it. The other was saying words with meanings behind them. And yet, they come together on a day where they test their bonds.

Together they fix the ribbon again. Together they know that it will never be broken like the bonds of a friendship that went deeper into the rift that was between them during time. And yet that bond ended up on the other side of the rift – a connection that neither of them denied or gave up.

And they sit side by side, regaining their strength and their friendship all at once. Words echo through their minds - words that were spoken a long time ago that resurface again in new meanings. But one stands apart from them all that has its hidden meaning out in front:

This doesn't change anything between us.

* * *

_The time passes, yet the words are still there._  
_I know you will understand one day._

**

* * *

**

**A/N.** Ino is one of my favorite characters as well. Heh. This came to me when it was raining one time. I found out that I like making character stories.

The quotes used are made up by me on the spot. XD


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